Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Dylan Launches The Band
Coverage from Far Out, Far Out Magazine, and others
Articles
5
Latest Article
11/21
Active Days
1330
Executive Summary
Bob Dylan helped turn The Hawks into The Band, pushing their electric tours, Basement Tapes sessions, and rise to major stages like Woodstock
- The Hawks formed in Helena, Arkansas in 1957 under Ronnie Hawkins
- Levon Helm joined after finishing high school and the group later moved to Ontario
- Ronnie Hawkins mentored the band, but they eventually outgrew his setup and left
- Bob Dylan saw Levon and the Hawks in Toronto and hired Robertson and Helm first
- Robertson and Helm insisted the rest of the Hawks be brought in too
- The group toured with Dylan in 1966 through hostile electric shows across North America, Europe, and Australia
- After Dylan's motorcycle crash, the musicians regrouped at Big Pink and recorded Basement Tapes material, including This Wheel's On Fire
Quick Facts
- What: Dylan hired them as his backing band and helped raise their profile
- Where: Toronto, Woodstock, and concert halls across North America and Europe
- Why: Dylan needed an electric backing band and the group gained wider exposure
- Who: Bob Dylan and the musicians who became The Band
- When: Mid 1960s through the Basement Tapes period in 1967
Coverage Timeline: 1330 Days
Featured Article
In the mid-1960s, Bob Dylan hired The Hawks after seeing them perform in Toronto, leading them to tour together in 1966.
Additional Articles
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Bob Dylan recruited Levon and the Hawks in 1965 at Newport, toured with them and helped secure major appearances including Woodstock (1969) and The Last Waltz (1976) in the USA.
This article recounts how Bob Dylan and The Hawks, between 1965 and 1967, moved from controversial electric tours to collaborative Basement Tapes sessions at Big Pink.
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Garth Hudson, longtime organist of The Band, died Jan 21, 2024.
Bob Dylan hires Levon Helm and the Hawks in late 1965 for the electric tour across the United States.